


Late Nights

by Fishpaste



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Backstory, Cute, Gen, Nightmares, Pointless fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2020-02-10 00:37:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18649357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fishpaste/pseuds/Fishpaste
Summary: Just a short little thing exploring just how Bard and Finny ended up sharing a bedroom.





	Late Nights

He hadn’t been at the manor house very long, only a few days and Bard was already considering regretting it and running off, though where to, he had no idea. The whole place was creepy and he had no idea what he was doing here. Well, he knew what the Butler wanted him for, he’d mentioned Bard’s tactical ability and how he could always avoid a trap, but it wasn’t like anyone was attacking this place or anything.

He wasn’t exactly needed as a chef either. That was what Sebastian said he was now, and he was taking time trying to show Bard how the kitchen worked, but Bard was having a hard time with it, there were just so many of everything! Endless appliances that all did seemingly bizarre and unnecessary things, more ingredients than you could shake a stick at, half of which Bard had never even heard of before and so many dishes and recipes to learn! Bard could read but he wasn’t exactly a literary genius and trawling through musty old recipe books to look up a dish he’d never heard of before and had no clue how to spell, let alone cook was hard going at times.

He felt bad for the kid though, the Earl he supposed he should call him. Sebastian had hinted that there was some sort of tragedy, and well, there had to be, right? For a ten year old to be running a whole manor house with just him, his butler and three pretend servants? Bard obviously, and then Mey Rin, who seemed nice enough, she and Bard had had a few decent conversations so far, both carefully avoiding any mention of what they’d done before Sebastian had found them, and then there was Finny, who was scarily strong and didn’t seem to have any idea about simple things, like how to tie his shoelaces or that there were other countries or simple rhyming games or anything like that, but was still somehow the most happy and cheerful person in this whole household. Bard felt quite protective of him, reminded him of some of the young soldiers who joined up still believing in justice and honour and all that rot.

He sighed, leaning back in his chair and glancing at the moon outside. It was late, so late it was practically early, but Bard couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t exactly the nightmares, they were old hat by now, expected and familiar horrors that left him shaking and praying to a God he hadn’t believed in for a long time. No, he could cope with those, had been most of his life after all. But...he sighed, admitting it even to himself was hard...he didn’t like sleeping alone. As a kid in the orphanage there’d been about ten to a room, in the army they’d slept in barracks if they were lucky, tents if they had a chance, or curled up all together on the bare ground if there was no other option. He didn’t think he’d ever had a room just to himself his entire life. It had seemed unimaginable luxury when Sebastian had shown him the room and told him it was all for him, and now he found himself hating it. It was just so quiet, as though Bard were the last person in the world, and then every small noise he did hear just set him on edge wondering what it was. Speaking of noises actually, was that footsteps in the corridor? He let the chair fall back onto all four legs quietly as he reached into a pocket to feel the reassuring cold metal of his gun. There was a knife in his boots, and the gong that Sebastian had had them polishing yesterday was only a few feet away, he could use that to alert everyo-oh, it was just Finny, looking sleep tousled and confused.

“Finny? What’re you doin’ up this late?” Bard asked gently, standing up. The kid looked unhappier than Bard could remember seeing them; they usually had a smile on their face, staring in wonder at the simplest of things. “It’s near on four in the mornin’, you should be long asleep.”

“Bardroy?”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, alright. Wait, what are you doing awake?” Finny asked, yawning and rubbing his eyes as he came in to sit at the table.

“I, uh...couldn’t sleep, decided to come an’ watch the moon for a bit.”

“The moon?” Finny looked out the window, his eyes going round as he stared at the sky. Bard had to admit the moon was putting on a good show tonight, it almost looked low and large enough to touch. Watching the wonder in the kid’s expression Bard relaxed a bit, he didn’t like it when Finny was miserable. Was this what having a little brother was like? Wanting to keep them happy and stop anyone ever hurting them? It was sort of nice...

The two of them sat quietly watching the night sky for a few more minutes; the only sounds their quiet breathing and the tick of the clock on the wall.

“Bardroy?” Finny said at last, hands twisting in his nightshirt and still staring up. “Do...do you ever have bad dreams?” He shot a nervous look at Bard and then just as quickly looked away again. Bard felt his heart squeeze in his chest, Finny’s past was just as mysterious as Mey Rin’s, his, and even the Earl’s...not something they ever spoke about. But the unspoken agreement to help one another in whatever way they could was just as strong as the compulsion to never pry into anyone’s past.

“Sometimes.” He admitted, watching Finny’s shoulders relax a little at the answer.

“Do...do you know any way to make them stop?”

“I don’t think there’s any way to make ‘em stop Finny...sometimes....sometimes stuff’s bad and it sticks with yer.”

“Oh.”

“But jus’ because you can’t stop ‘em doesn’t mean you can’t do stuff about ‘em.” Bard said firmly. Finny had looked so miserable at his previous answer, he couldn’t leave them like that! “Sometimes talking about ‘em helps, or writin’ them down?” Finny shook his head to both of those, Bard couldn’t blame him. He wouldn’t talk about his own nightmares no matter the threat and Finny was still learning to read and write as it was, the idea of waking up afraid and then having to battle with literacy could hardly be appealing.

“I just...don’t like waking up in the room alone again...even though the doors not locked any more...it still feels like I must be back there, stuck waiting until someone came.” He admitted.

That was probably more information that Finny realised he was giving, Bard thought. The idea of someone leaving a kid as young and sweet as Finny all alone, and in a locked room too... there were some nasty connotations there. But Bard wasn’t going to ask, not until Finny was ready to tell him. He hesitated and then stood up, walking slowly to where Finny was sitting on the edge of the table, still staring up at the sky. Bard had never been great at comforting people, but he couldn’t leave them looking so small and sad now could he?

“Do...do you need a hug, kid?”

“What’s a hug?” 

Well that was about the saddest thing Bard had ever heard, right, well if Sebastian hadn’t already dispatched of whoever had hurt Finny before, Bard would happily volunteer for the task. Not knowing what a hug was...

“Like this.” He said simply, and pulled Finny against him, holding him tightly. Finny remained stiff for a long moment and Bard thought briefly about releasing him, before he finally relaxed slightly, leaning against him, one hand coming up to grip tightly onto Bard’s shoulder. They remained like that for as long as it took for Finny to relax completely, and if Finny’s eyes were a bit damp when they broke apart, well Bard would never dream of mentioning it.

“I like hugs...” Finny said softly, scrubbing at his face with his sleeve.

“Yeah? Good, cos’ you can have one whenever you need Finny, I promise you that.” Bard said, smiling at him and feeling his heart lighten as Finny smiled back. “Now, about those nightmares of yours, the bad dreams?”

“Yes?”

“Would they be better if yer weren’t sleepin’ alone anymore? You said that wakin’ up alone was the worst bit? If...if yer wanted I could shove my bed in with yours, that way if you get more bad dreams, then I’ll be there to look out for yer, remind you that yer not back there an’ all?” He offered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Only if yer want though!” He added hastily, just because he thought they might both sleep better with someone else there didn’t mean Finny would agree-

His thoughts were cut off as Finny flung himself forward, wrapping his arms around Bard in a hug that left the older man breathless, feeling his ribs creak under the pressure.

“Thank you Bard! I don’t want to be alone ever again! Please!”

“Hey, easy kid, I need those ribs!”

“Oh! Sorry!” Finny released him, but the smile wasn’t leaving his face as he beamed practically ear to ear, and Bard found himself returning it, glad he could do something good in his life, even if it was as simple as helping Finny with his nightmares and putting the smile back where it belonged.

“Come on then, let’s get the bed moved, there’s probably still a couple of hours sleep we can catch yet.”


End file.
